sheets



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E.. SHEETS.

FRUIT DRIER.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 13, 1883.

INVBNTOR MQ WITNESSBS:

` ATTGRNEYS.

(No Model.)

- E` SHEETS.

r FRUIT DRIER. No. 288,503.

Patented Nov. 18, 1883.

" wmggsis: I INYENTOR:

Q5/Mg@ j BY 3o to the furnace B. These dues d d are formed UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIZABETH sHEETs, or onssToWN, oHIo.

I FRUIT- DRIER.

SPECIFICATION" forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,503, dated November 13, 1883. Application inea June o. was. (No model.)

. T all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZABETH SHEETS, of Casstowmin the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved `liruit-Drier, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for drying all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and which can be conveniently operated without the danger of burning the material.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. y

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improveddrying-house. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the saine. Fig. 3 is a detail section in larger size illustratingthe operation of transferring the crates from an upper to a lower chamber, and Fig. 4 is a detail section, showing the expansion-rods.

The house or stack A is formed of brick, concrete, or other suitable material, with a furnace, B, in the lower portion, and with side and end walls, c a, and a top, b, that inclose the drying-chambers. It is also formed with a chimney, c. rIhe flues d, that extend back and forth through the inclosed space, are connected with fiues e in the back wall that lead by sheets or `plates of iron set into the side walls, a a, and connected. therein by vertical sections f, so as to form a continuous passage from the furnace B to the chimney c. At each end the house is fitted with a door-frame, g, taking against the ends of the flues d and provided with one or more doors, 71 that give access to the several chambers. rIhe front and back ends of the flues d are closed by blocks c', which are fitted so that they can be removed to allow of cleaning the flues. Across the front of the` furnace are shafts 7c, provided with chain-wheels Z, and at the rear of the furnace.

are similar shafts, carrying chain-wheels m, for endless chains n that pass around the wheels Z m. This arrangement is such that the upper portion of each chain moves upon the top of the flue or bottom of the chamber, and the under portion of the chain passes through the chamber below. The fiues are shortened alternately at the forward and rear ends to give space for pivoted bars o, and beneath each bar o are inclined tracks p p', the track p being that opens into the upper chamber. The flue r is provided with a damper, r', and both dampers r q are fitted for movement by expansionrods that operate automatically to open the dampers when the chambers become too highly heated for the admission of air thereto, For containing the fruit to be dried I use crates s, that are provided with wheels to run upon :the bottom of the chambers, and with hinged and notched pawls s at their upper sides for engaging with the chain n,where by the crates are moved forward in the chambers. The shafts 7c are fitted outside the house or door frame with gearing t, by which the chain can be caused to` move alternately in opposite directions.

In the operation of the apparatus the crates containing the substance to be dried are placed in the upper chamber through the doors h at the front and are carried forward by the chain to the rear. When they reach the pivoted bars o the forward wheels of the crate pass thereon, and the weight of the forward end of 8 5 the crate causes the bars to tip up to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the rear ends passing up, one on each side of the crate s, so that the forward wheels pass upon the upper part ofthe track p,while the rear wheels pass down the inclines o upon the track p'. The crates then start in the opposite direction by gravity and are carried down the tracks p p into the chamber below, where they are engaged by the chain therein and moved to the opposite end, where their transfer takes place again, as before. In this manner the crates are kept in continuous or intermittent operation back and forth through the chambers, and are finally removed at the forward end ofthe lower chamber. I prefer to use woodencrates, as that material will neither IOO poisen nor blacken the fruit. From they upper chamber a passage, a, connects with a vapor-` escape tube, a, partly within the chimney c, so that the vapors will be drawn off by the draft. Vhen large quantities of fruit or vegetables are dried at once air may be forced through the house by a blower.

By the construction and arrangement, as described, the heat may be accurately regulated, so that there will be no danger of burning the material 5 and the rapidity of the movement of the crates through the chambers can be easily regulated, so that the material will be subjected to the heat for the required and proper length of time. The lues being formed by plates and their ends connected by the -sections, the construction of the apparatus is greatly facilitated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The heating-fines d formed of horizon-tal metallic plates arranged in the side Walls, a, the vertical metallic sections f, having at each end a horizontal extension overlapping the ends of said plates, and the detachable blocks z', asshown and described.

2. In drying-houses, the air-fines q r, in combination with the dryingchambers formed by a continuous back-and-forth flue from the furnace, substantially as described.

3. In drying-houses, the combination and arrangement, substantially as described, of

the endless chains u, the ue or 'fines d, the

pivoted bars 0, and inclined tracks p p at the ends of the flues for the purpose of automatically transferring the crates from the upper to the lower chamber.

ELIZABETH sHEETs.

V-i-tnesses:

LILLIE McDoWELL, ELizABETH S'rioKEL. 

